Massive Nights: Austinist Talks To The Hold Steady

The lyrics on Boys and Girls In America are a bit like little vignettes from an epic novel about barflies and slackers. Does Craig Finn draw completely from fiction, or do you guys meet some of these characters while you're on tour?

There isn't a one to one relationship with reality. The stories aren't autobiographical. But there are moments when I'm in the control room listening to Craig do vocals and I'll think: "I remember that party!"

The Hold Steady evoke a strong sense of a time and place in life in many songs, which may explain many of the Springsteen comparisons that we (and everyone else) made about Boys and Girls... Do you personally have a band that you think does the evocative thing well?

The Drive-By Truckers and Lucero are two of the obvious ones.

Lots of artists love to complain about their record labels, but everything we've seen you say about Vagrant is awfully positive. What's the secret to a label keeping a band happy?

I think it has a lot to do with managing your expectations as a band. Because of our age, I think that it has helped us make decisions with integrity. Also, all being involved in different aspects of the industry outside of the band has been helpful in understanding what the role of a label is.

Did The Hold Steady choose Art Brut to open this tour? They've certainly got a stage presence and a unique sound.

Our manager presented the idea to us and it sounded like fun. It's been a good time.

Finally, you've been to Austin several times just on this tour. Have any interesting stories about your stops/nights out in our town?

Spending time at our friend's ranch in Dripping Springs comes to mind. The food is always great.